In a second attempt to strengthen security protections in potentially-vulnerable areas of the nation's infrastructure (see RCV #291), Senator Byrd (D-WV) introduced an amendment to the 2004 homeland security spending bill which would have added $100 million for port and maritime security, $42 million for Coast Guard operations, and $100 million for firefighter training and equipment. In the view of Progressives, Byrd's amendment helped address some important vulnerabilities in the nation's security protections; they cited the nation's seaports as an area in drastic need of protection. Republicans voted against Byrd's amendment in accordance with their legislative strategy of defeating all amendments to the bill to preserve a majority coalition of lawmakers who support the underlying appropriations bill. Senator Cochran (RMS) motioned to table (kill) the Byrd amendment and, on a nearly party-line vote of 51-45, the motion was carried and the Byrd amendment was rejected.